1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical device for stapling and/or fastening body tissues.
2. Description of the Related Art
To remove a gallstone or gallstones from the gallbladder, for example, the gallbladder needs to be extracted in order to prevent the forming of other stones. To extract the gallbladder, it is necessary to cut the junction between the gallbladder and the bile duct. Extending through this junction are bile arteries and the bile duct. Hence, to extract the gallbladder without damaging the same, the bile duct must be cut with a knife or the like and must be stapled immediately.
Various staplers are known which are designed for use in gallstone-removing procedures. Any of these staplers is inserted through an incision made in the abdominal wall into the body cavity where the gallbladder is located. The stapler is manipulated to apply staples to the body tissues, thereby to fasten them together. Some staplers of this type are disclosed in, for example, Published Examined Japanese Utility mode Applications Nos. 38-19282 and 60-41924 and Publish Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 3-12126.
The stapler disclosed in Published Examined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 38-19282 is designed for stapling the stomach. The stapler comprises a staple holder and an anvil. The staple holder contains staples and has a staple-feeding mechanism. Both the staple holder and the anvil curve in the same way as the stomach does. The staple holder is rotatably hinged to the anvil by a pin.
The stapler disclosed in Published Examined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 60-41924 is designed to staple a cancerous tumor. This stapler comprises a scissors-like stapling body. The stapling body is slender, consisting of a grip and a staple-holding section. The staple-holding section comprises a staple holder and an anvil which are hinged together at one end. Both the staple holder and the anvil curve in the same way as the cancerous organ does, and constitute a beak-shaped unit while placed in their closed positions.
The stapler disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 3-12126 is designed to staple together body tissues located within a body cavity. This stapler comprises an insertion section, a stapling member, a firing handle and an operating handle. The stapling member is connected to the distal end of the insertion section and comprises an anvil and a cartridge. The cartridge is rotatably connected to the anvil and used to contain staples. The firing handle is coupled to the proximal end of the insertion section; it is squeezed to eject a staple from the cartridge. The operating handle is connected to the proximal end of the insertion section, too; it is operated to open and close the stapling member.
The stapler disclosed in Published Examined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 38-19282 has no insertion section, and cannot be inserted into a body cavity through an incision made in a body wall. Since the staple holder has no means for cutting the body tissues stapled together, a separate cutting instrument must be used to cut the body tissues.
When the stapler disclosed in Published Examined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 60-41924 is employed, it is necessary to incise a body wall (e.g., the abdominal wall, the chest wall, or the like) so that the insertion section may be inserted into a body cavity, giving rise to great attacks. Further, since the stapler has no means for cutting the body tissues stapled together, a separate cutting instrument must be used to cut the body tissues.
The stapling member of the stapler disclosed in Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. 3-12126 is straight, axially aligned with the insertion section. If there is a conglutination in the body cavity, narrowing the cavity, it would be difficult to move the insertion section to the target body tissues. Further, if the target tissues are located away from the axis of the insertion section, a forceps or the like must be inserted into the body cavity to hold and place the tissues on the axis of the insertion section.
As described above, the conventional staplers have but low operability, requiring other surgical instruments to perform surgical operations. When they are used, it usually take a long time to complete the operations, causing much pain and toil on the part of the patient. None of the conventional staplers cannot perfectly stop the flow of blood or other body fluid from the body tissues after the tissues have been severed and stapled. There are two reasons for this. First, a gap remains between the anvil and the staple holder (or the cartridge) even when they are set in their closed positions. Second, a single clip or staple applied to body tissues to stop bleeding gets loose due to the force which the tissues exert on the clip or staple as they restore their shapes.
Generally, any bleeding tissues or organs, whether fastened or not with clips or staples, are solidified by means of an electric knife or the like, thereby stopping the bleeding. During endoscopic procedures, however, it is cumbersome for surgeons to remove the stapler or the clip applicator from the distal end of the endoscope and then to attach the electric-knife electrode.